Nearly Half of UK Consumers Want E-receipts

By Claire West

Retailers are missing a revenue opportunity to provide a continuous shopping experience across in-store and online channels, according to ew research conducted by YouGov for Bronto Software and NetSuite.

The findings show that:

45% of UK consumers would like to receive a digital version of their receipt by email (e-receipt) when buying an item in-store. However, only a third (31%) of consumers say they ‘always’ or ‘often’ get an e-receipt from retailers. Another 41% report they ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ receive one.

More importantly, nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers are open to receiving additional marketing content via their e-receipt. This was significant among 18-24 year olds (73%). The information most desired by UK consumers as part of their e-receipt is notification of upcoming sales (40%), followed by promotions on related products (34%) and information about loyalty programmes (31%).

Georges Berzgal, managing director Europe for Bronto Software, saidL “The commerce landscape is evolving quickly and retailers are under increasing pressure to adapt to shifting patterns in consumer behaviour. Customers have come to expect a seamless omnichannel shopping experience, and our research highlights the value of e-receipts to help deliver this. Digital receipts are convenient, and therefore popular amongst consumers, and they offer retailers an enormous opportunity to deliver valuable promotional content to customers.”

Unifying in-store and online

The survey highlights the opportunity for retailers to use e-receipts to connect the in-store experience with the growing number of consumers opting to shop online. The research also found that UK consumers spend an average of 87 hours a year shopping online – around 7 hours and 14 minutes per month. The data reveals that women devote just half an hour more per month than men (7½ vs 7 hours), while the most active age group is 35-44 year olds, averaging an impressive 8 hours and 8 min per month.

When asked where they prefer to do their online shopping, the majority of consumers (63%) opt for the comfort of their living room. Around 1 in 7 UK consumers (14%) prefer to do their browsing in bed, which was particularly true amongst 18-24 year olds, with 43% of this age group preferring to shop from their bed.

“To successfully connect offline and online commerce, marketers must always consider consumer shopping preferences,” said Berzgal. “By tailoring an offering and messaging that is relevant and engaging, brands will be able to create a better customer experience and ultimately drive sales.”

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